Hamilton has a poor record for road safety. According to an insurance company study, Hamilton is the ninth-most dangerous city in Ontario for drivers. It earned this spot by having both a high percentage of drivers with traffic infractions on their driving records and a high percentage of drivers involved in prior car accidents.
Hamilton car accident statistics support this reputation. The numbers show that the city has several hotspots that see dozens of crashes annually.
After a crash in Hamilton, ON, Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers will explain your legal options for recovering fair compensation. Contact our law office or call at (905) 522-9799 for a free consultation to learn more.
How Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Car Accident in Hamilton, ON
Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers has assisted injured clients in Hamilton, Ontario, for over 45 years. Over that time, we have recovered over $100 million in compensation for accident victims like you.
If you suffer an injury in a crash, our Hamilton car accident lawyers will provide the following:
- A free case evaluation to review your injuries and explain your legal options
- Preparation of an insurance claim and aggressive negotiations to resolve it fairly
- Decades of litigation experience to fight insurers that refuse to settle
Car accidents can threaten both your physical and financial health. Contact our Hamilton personal injury lawyers to discuss your injuries and the compensation you can pursue for them.
Are Hamilton’s Roads Safe?
Hamilton has a population of over 565,000 residents. Unfortunately, some car accidents are to be expected from the traffic conditions created by over half a million residents. You have a few ways of looking at the crash numbers to determine your potential risks while driving in Hamilton.
On the one hand, Hamilton’s roads are hazardous compared to other cities in Ontario. For example, Toronto has a much lower crash fatality rate despite having a larger population and more crowded roads. Toronto has almost six times as many residents as Hamilton but only about two-and-a-half times as many road deaths.
On the other hand, Hamilton has a good record compared to other Canadian cities with comparable populations. Quebec City, for example, also has over half a million residents but had over 20 times more traffic deaths than Hamilton in 2022.
At best, you can say that Hamilton’s roads are dangerous compared to roads in the rest of Ontario. At the same time, the city’s roads are not as dangerous as those in comparable cities around the country.
Car Accident Statistics For Hamilton, ON
Hamilton publishes several traffic crash resources annually. According to the Statistics and Trends summary, Hamilton had 8,087 traffic collisions in 2022.
The city’s crash numbers improved in almost every statistical category compared to 2021, including:
- Fewer total crashes
- Fewer injury crashes
- Fewer pedestrian accidents
- Fewer bicycle accidents
The only statistic where the city showed no improvement was fatal crashes. The year 2022 saw the same number of fatal crashes as 2021. But the number of deadly crashes in Hamilton increased every year between 2018 and 2021 before leveling off in 2022.
Crash Injuries and Deaths
According to the Annual Collision Report, 2022 traffic accidents in Hamilton included the following:
- 16 fatal collisions
- 1,144 non-fatal injury collisions
- 6,927 property damage-only crashes
These crashes produced:
- 20 fatal injuries
- 116 major injuries that required hospital admission
- 1,008 minor injuries
Hamilton’s traffic fatalities in 2022 included nine pedestrians and one cyclist killed when they were struck by vehicles. Compared to 2021, the number of pedestrian and bicycle collisions decreased in 2022.
Crash Causes
The leading causes of Hamilton crashes relate to dangerous driving behaviors.
The Annual Collision Report listed the following causes as the most prevalent in 2022:
- Distracted driving
- Exceeding the speed limit
- Following too closely
- Driving too fast for the conditions
- Losing control, particularly during winter driving
While intoxicated driving was not a leading cause of crashes overall, this dangerous behavior was a significant cause of collisions that caused injury or death. Drivers intoxicated by drugs or alcohol caused just over 4% of fatal or injury collisions.
When Do Hamilton Crashes Happen?
As you might expect, Hamilton has more crashes on weekdays than on weekend days. From the Annual Collision Report, you can calculate that there’s an average of just under 200 crashes that cause injury or death on weekdays. Weekend days, on the other hand, average only 155 crashes that cause injury or death.
The most dangerous times to drive occur during the morning and afternoon commutes. On weekdays, traffic crashes see a small peak around 8 a.m. and a large peak between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Weekend days peak between noon and 3 p.m. However, the weekend day peak is only one-quarter of the weekday peak.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Experienced Hamilton Car Accident Lawyers
Car accident statistics fail to show the financial and human cost of the injuries and deaths these crashes produce. Contact Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers to discuss your legal options if you suffer an injury in a car accident.